Page 96 of Free to Judge

Her lips part. No words escape. Her head swings in my father’s direction. An uncomfortable silence descends on the room.

My father runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “You don’t know the entire story.”

“Then tell me!” I shout.

“I can’t.” My father’s jaw clenches.

“Keene,” my mother warns.

I’m too emotionally wrung out to care about the threat in her tone.

He sighs. “Where are you planning to go?”

“Away.” The word is choked out. “I need to get away until I can face everyone and not break down.”

My mother crouches down. “Why don’t you come home tonight? Spend the night with us?”

Needing her more than I ever thought possible, I bury my head in my mother’s shoulder and nod. Heartbreak isn’t something you should go through without your people at your back.

My father gestures to the door. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Soon, I’m in the back of their car while my father secures my home. My mother sits beside me, cradling me next to her heart. It isn’t long before my father has a quick word with my guards before he slides into the driver’s seat.

I take note when they don’t follow, but I don’t have the energy to care. Not when my heart hurts as badly as it does.

I just wish I’d told them to keep Declan out to begin with.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The secondI heard her voice, I knew something was wrong.

The moment the web page opened, life as I prayed it could be was reduced to nothing but ashes.

I’m not certain who whipped out their cell this time, but of course, they couldn’t snap a picture of the dead body on thefloor. No. Instead, they sold Sexy & Social just enough of a scandal to publish about me.

Out of a one-hour meeting, someone captured the moment Nerissa whispers in my ear, grabbing my shoulder.

Her collapsing, using my body to remain upright as she gasped in pain.

Me grabbing hold so she didn’t land on her ass in front of the very unexpected presence of Jack Marshall and look weak. Because weak would have got us killed.

Did it show later when the mother fucker kicked Chrissi’s lifeless body aside before Jack ordered the body to be cleaned up? Instead of going for his fucking throat, like I wanted to, I had to restrain myself.

None of that ended up on Sexy & Social. Of course not. No, only the pictures of Nerissa’s fake lap dance were front and center instead.

Now, due to my panic this morning, Kalie thinks she means less than nothing to me.

Pacing back and forth, I don’t think. Don’t take time to plan. Just drive from my condo to Kalie’s like a man possessed, engine screaming. My heart slams so hard I’m certain it shakes my ribs as I take corners at a speed I shouldn’t as I grip the steering wheel with one thought on repeat.

If I can just get to her—if she will just see me—she’ll understand. She’ll know I was telling the truth.

She’ll believe me.

She has to.

When I pull up to her street, there’s very little sign of life. Saying screw it to the security protocols I had put into place for me to see her, I drive directly into her driveway, taking note of the very prevalent agents in her driveway.

Dashing up her front porch, my movement sets her security lights ablaze, flooding the property in harsh, sterile white even as none of the interior lights glow.